Marvel-ous Movies and Modesty

My son wanted to go on a date with his parents for his birthday instead of a party (don't know how long that will last), so we did. As a parent, it gave me satisfaction to know he wanted to share my company over his friends. And the boy was so sweet, too. He opened my car door, asked me what I thought about the movie and walked next to me -- none of the "my mom is so embarrassing" stuff. I was tickled to see my child acting so courteous and kind. When I am out with all the children, he must have some inner need to start stuff and be irritating to his siblings so I normally don't get to enjoy this side of my nearly-grown up, little boy.

We went to see Captain America and I have to say it is my FAVORITE marvel hero movie to date. They combined the new and the old in the most creative ways. I loved the 1940's nostalgia. I won't want to say too much so I do not spoil anything with it being so new. Although I will share that they were able to blast the audience into the past while keeping it real without subjecting us to borderline porn like many of the comic book movies tend to do. It was utterly refreshing. I enjoy watching this movie genre, but feel conflicted about the body image and modesty agendas that are oftentimes pushed to the limit in these movies.

Another Fleck of Brillancy

I have found a FABULOUS website for your enjoyment and enlightenment. Beauty Redefined was started in an attempt to make social change in the area of how women and men look at women and how we determine their worth. It is a brilliant site and I especially love this article. It is a bit long, but worth the read:

http://www.beautyredefined.net/be-a-diamond-in-the-rough/


related links:
all things purple: Women are Amazing
all things purple: Brilliant!

a dentist goes purple

I love the quote on the back of this shirt, but most of all, the fact that it is purple.

Here's to keeping all your teeth!!!

Lasting Friendship

lasting friendship:

striking a balance of sameness with just enough different so as to not to bug the living garbage out of each other 

-- me

a bit of small talk

A friend comes up and says: Hi, how are you? What have you been up to lately?
I say: Fine, great, or could be better (depends on what happened during the last 12 hours). I talk about school, my writing, my children.
Super common conversation, right? 

This is what I would reply if I could:

I have been trying to find my wings and words and my happy self and don't quite know how to go about it. Do you know where they went off to?

There is so much to say everyday and things just get too complicated. Not everyone can, should, or wants to deal with it when life has baggage too heavy to haul around by yourself. I am feeling like I am unclaimed baggage and there is no rightful owner.

I know it is an insanely random rambling, but I needed to just get it all out... 

the fine line between love and hate

I watched the movie 10 Things I Hate About You in order to compare it with its inspiration Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare. I knew Julia Stiles was in the lead role as Kat, but I forgot about the late Heath Ledger playing Kat's wooer, Patrick. It is intriguing how movies capture a person in time. The way they talk, the styles they wore at the time of filming. Mannerisms.

One particular part capturing my attention was the writing assignment the students were given to redo a poem and what Kat produced for the audience (the class and us movie viewers). In this assignment, hate gets used quite naturally as the betrayal had just been exposed over the weekend, though hate transforms meaning with each sentence, indirectly pointing to her wants and desires, until it actually represents her frustration with herself for loving her betrayer.

OREGON! - PTGS #4

Silverton, Oregon

                        Living It Up

Thanks to Darcy of My Artistic Ventures for joining in the fun of the:

all things purple: Personhood of the Traveling Grape Soda

My Professional Skills

I have gained a wide range of skills during my career as a parent, such as cooking more delicious meals, gardener, mending clothes, scrapbooking, frugal shopper, family psychologist, entertainment coordinator, laundry service director, etc. And those sound fabulous, right? Well, my little son decided that I am absolutely brilliant at yet one more skill--

Clowning Around

Parenthood: 
It's not all fun and games, but it's pretty much a circus all the time.

-I. Williamson

I gleaned this brilliantly stated fact from a church talk a few years back. It struck me so funny and true that I stopped and jotted it down right then in the middle of the service...

...I can't decide whether I am a ringmaster or one of the clowns. 

What part would you say you play in the circus called parenthood?

The Best White Bread Recipe Yet Written

photographs courtesy of Shannon

I don't know where she got it, but my mom had been making this bread recipe since I can ever remember until she got too sick to do it anymore. My brothers and I could polish off two loaves before she even got done baking the whole batch, so at the peak of our growing I think she had to double the recipe every time so there could be some left to actually use for a meal or two.

She passed it along to my best friend and my best friend once removed (her husband) and then I got it from my BFF because my mom was busy at work when I finally was ready to try making it. So anyways, by the time I got the technique down (after a few hands on trainings with mom and several calls in the middle of it) and could really make her bread well, she passed away. It is as if the bread tradition had to get passed down before she could go. I now have the privilege of passing it along to my children and sister-in-laws for them to make and taste something my mom made. It brings us closer to her even though she is gone. I love how a simple bread recipe can help bond us to our kindred dead. This is one of those flecks of brilliancy in life I have been noticing and want to point out and share with the world.

Brilliant!

Everyone gets something so individual from the things we watch, read, and listen to and that is what makes blogs such a brilliant concept. Truly thought-provoking, uplifting articles and posts shed light and knowledge on their audience. I hope to seek out some of these flecks of brilliancy for my readers to enjoy and benefit from...here is a fabulous example of one:

Savvy and Sage: Beauty and the Beast: "'When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure.' --Pete..."

purple highlights

I went through my blog posts and pulled out a sampling from the first three months in order to expose some of my favorites that have yet to be widely discovered or have been somewhat popular but I love them so much I hope more people will read them and love them, too.

Enjoy and please share ones you like with your friends and family!
 

all things purple: Ageism: What to do about it?

all things purple: Breakfast at Tiffany's: Romance Addiction at Its Best

all things purple: The Brighter Side of Things

 all things purple: Frankenstein! Friday!

all things purple: I will survive!

all things purple: Jane's Silence

 all things purple: Kissing, the Movies, and Permissible Infidelity

all things purple: Monkey Bars

all things purple: The Politics of Princesses and Hair

all things purple: Whimsical Wednesday

an angel has flown

photography by C. N.

an angel has flown

you came to earth just long enough
just long enough to wrap us around your little fingers
your tiny fingers teaching us about God and service
countless hours of service given in divers ways because of your heart
your tender heart beating on borrowed time
precious time slipping away while the bonds of love strengthen
a legacy of love so strong it cannot be forgotten
Never forgotten by mother, father, sisters and brothers
Always remembered and cherished for all that you gave us


For angel Sofia—you have touched more lives than you know
And for Susy—amazing mother, truest friend, and neighbor divine
May God be with you now and always



related links:

all things purple: a heart to heart chat
all things purple: Higher Level Communication

The Creamery - PTGS 3

home of the BEST garlic fries on the planet

If you feel out of the loop, go to:   all things purple: Personhood of the Traveling Grape Soda

Happy Birthday - courtesy of Jackson Brass Studio

In honor of my oldest boy's birthday, I would like to share the birthday song with you as performed by David Jackson of Jackson Brass Studio...



Jackson Brass Studio caters especially to young aspiring musicians desiring to achieve at high levels and become the best musicians out there. They do in-home instruction along with mentoring and positive-thinking coaching. Another service they offer on a case by case basis is remote-instruction sessions utilizing Skype.

If you would like to see more of this fabulous musician's work as well as his partner Zachary's, you can find them on Facebook and youtube
Facebook page: Jackson Brass Studio
youtube channels: go to the bottom of this blog under SWEET VIDEOS

p.s.
be sure to scroll down and pause the music player prior to pressing play on the video presentation :)

things are a mess

i have fallen off the writing wagon people.
the last few days have taken their toll and i, the one with something to say about anything and everything at any given point, have no words.
therefore, i take a few words from the eloquent c.s. lewis to fill in the gaps and express somewhat how i am feeling and thinking...


I keep on through habit fitting an arrow to the string; then I remember and have to lay the bow down
- A Grief Observed

and no-- no one died, it just feels like someone did. maybe a part of me.
one thing i am absolutely certain of is that this painful time in my life will bring me to a better place.

Talkin' Shop

Ok everybody. I keep on saying that I have links fixed and all that jazz and sometimes they really are NOT, but I think I have it this time. I promise.

Whimsical Wednesday Sweet 16

When I saw this darling button, it made me smile.
I could not even begin to count the amount of amazingly delicious chocolates that have passed by my way during my short lifetime.

See's Candies is my favorite...my mom raised me right.

Over the top FABULOUS gifting idea

My Artistic Ventures: Decoupaged Gift Suitcase: "Gift wrapping is as important as the gift. The way a present is presented is half the fun. I love making a gift wrapped in a gift. I neede..."

Seeing Through the Tears

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. 

 Joshua 1:9

seeing through the tears - photography by C. N.

Every day of life holds within it reasons to fear and cause for dismay for someone somewhere in the world. Yet we are not required to be afraid or worry or fret, nor are we required to lose hope. Life is hard as well as beautiful and sometimes faith is the only thing that bridges the gap between the two.

Beaver - PTGS #2

Rockin' and a Rollin' in Beaver, Utah

If you feel out of the loop, go to:   all things purple: Personhood of the Traveling Grape Soda

higher level communication

photograph by C. N.

I love poetry, not all poetry, yet a great deal of it. There is something about the way it rolls off your tongue and speaks to your heart and mind at the same time. Whenever I write poetry, it is usually because there is something I want to say that needs more voice than the regular way we speak or write and even then the words just are not quite enough.

I believe that in the eternities we will be able to communicate on a more spiritual level through actual conveyance of feeling. I could be off my rocker, but it gives me peace to think that when my words fail.

So about a specific poem--I read this blog post yesterday and want to share it with you today. Maybe this poem will help you keep things in perspective or give you a good reminder, like it did for me.

Enjoy!

Savvy and Sage: True Wealth